Singeing machine



Nov. 24, 1931. w. w. KEMP 1,832,984

SINGEING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1929 5 Speets-Sheet l Nov. 24, 1931. w. w. KEMP 1,332,984

SINGEING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 24, 1931. w. w. KEMP 1,832,984

SINGEING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1929 a Sheets-Shee s Nov. 24, 1931. w. w. KEMP SINGEING' MACHINE Filed Sept. 12. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 gwu'm m MM MM 1% Nov. 24, 1931. w. w. KEMP 1,832,984

SINGEING MACHINE Filed Sept. 12, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 24, 1931 rml'rso STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM WALLACE KEMP, OF BALTIMORE, MEARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE C. M. KEMP MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A. CORPORATION OF IiIARYLAND snvenme MACHINE- The present invention relates to singeing machines of that type designed for use in the finishing of cloth, during which finishing oporation it is sometimes'highly desirable to sings the nap or surface of the material.

it has for its object the provisionv of a machine in which the singeing operation can be carried on at high speed, and by passing the fabric to be treated through the machine may be singed successively at a plurality of points so as to complete the operation in one run, provision being made, furthermore, for threading the fabric through the machine and the singcing devices in such manner that reverse sides of the fabric may be singed during one run of the fabric through the machine.

it further object of the invention is to provide a construction in which the heating of tie singeing element may be effected by thev application of heat to the interior of the singeing roll or element, in such manner as to give a quick heating and maintain a unlform temperature of the roll or singeing element embodiment of my machine, but it will be understood that the invention may take various forms mechanically, and that the present embodiment is merely illustrative and in no sense restrictive of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 view in side elevation of a machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of the machine taken at right angles to the View 7 shown in Figure 1, parts being broken away and parts being in section for compactness and clearness of illustration.

Figure 3 1s a view in section taken substantially upon the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

' Figure i is a view in perspectiveshowing the arrangement of bearings and cooling system therefor of the rotating supports of a singein roll, 7

ldigure 5 is a detail of the adjustable bar carrying frame, by means of which the fabric is adjusted relative to the singeing element or roll.

Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are diagrammatic views showing some of the different runs which may be given to the fabric relative to t is roll or singeing element.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts in the several views, 10 indicates the framework of the machine, made up of suitable supporting legs and cross beams which serve to support the operating parts. Secured to this base is an upper supporting framework formed of two substantiaily arch members 11 secured across the machine by suitable tie-rods'12. This base and upper arch frame constitute the main structure of the machine upon which are mounted the other necessary parts.

The supporting frames 10 have secured thereto at each side of the machine supporting brackets 13, provided with bearings let, there being two sets of hearings on each side sustained by these brackets, and in which are mounted shafts 15, the-shafts on one side, at the right hand, as shown in Figure 2, being provided with sprockets 16 engaged by a drive chain 17 driven from a sprocket shaft 18 carried by suitable gear box 19, which, by a suitable transmitting shaft 20 is driven from any motor, such as the electric motor 21. At the inner ends of the shafts 15 are 10- cated the grooved roll supports 22, these roll-f ers being four in number and serving to support and drive by the friction flanges 23,- the singeing roll 2d. It will be seen from Figure 3 that the flanges 23 of the roll 24 rest on the grooved rollers 22 and the power driven rollers 22, at one end of the machine, when rotated, will impart rotary movement to singeing roll 24, the rollers 22 at the other end serving as idlers for the opposite end of the singeing roll. It will be obvious that power could be applied to the grooved rollers 22 at both sides of themachine', if desired,

With this arrangement of grooved rollers 22, it will be seen that the singeing roll 24 is cradled in, or floats upon rollers and is driven frictionally thereby. One set of rollers on which the singeing roll floats, and, preferably, the idler rollers, will be free to move longitudinally in their bearings, so that as the singeing roll 24 expands and contracts under changes in temperature, the grooved rollers 22 and their shafts 15 can move longitudinally and take care of the expansions and contractions of the singeing roll. The rolls at one side of the machine, and, in the present instance, the power actuated rolls, will be held against longitudinal movement, so that all changes in the length of the cylinder roller will be taken care of by the idlers on the opposite side.

The singeing roll 24, formed of a suitable heat-resistant alloy, is an open ended roll having a highly finished surface which will give a smooth contact for the fabric, and can be readily maintained in a smooth, highly polished condition, any suitable metal being used or any suitable plated surface being provided.

The roll. 24 is heated by means of blast nozzles 25 preferably provided with a plurality of perforations, fuel being supplied to blast nozzles 25 through pipes 26 from any suitable fuel supply 2?; a control valve 28 being provided, and between the control valve and the supply pipe there is preferably located a fire-check 29 to prevent any flashback from the burner. A pilot light feed pipe 29 may be provided for ignition purposes.

In order to cool the burner, I preferably provide the water jacket 30, suitably connected with inlet pipe 31 and outlet pipe 32, with any water supply for continuous circulation, a stufling-box 38 being provided at the outer end of the pipe to seal it.

Flame from the blast nozzle 25 will be forced under pressure into the singeing roll 24, and at the end of the roll is provided a refractory plate 34 suitably supported from the frame of the machine, burner pipe 26 passing through an aperture in this insulating plate 34 which lies closely adjacent the open end of the roll 24, and suitable screws 35 or other holding means are provided to center the blast pipe in the opening in the insulating plate 34.

Blast nozzles 25 are located preferably at opposite ends of the sin geing roll 24 and are eccentrically disposed or offset relative thereto as shown in Figure 3. The blast pipes project inwardly from each end of the open ended singeing roll 24 a sufficient extent to insure delivery of the flame to the singeing roll, the interior of which will be filled with the highly heated products of combustion, thorough and uniform distribution of which is insured by the balanced and offset blast burners at the opposed end of the singeing roll, the insulating baffles 34 at each end acting to reflect the heat issuing from the ends of the singeing roll 24, although spaced sufficiently from the open ends of the roll to prevent any choking or interference with the free flow of the products of combustion. The burners 25 will, of course, be projected far enough into the singeing roll 24 to insure that there will be no flame issuing from the open singeing roll to the extent that possible damage would result to the machine or the fabric being treated. The fuel used may be any suitable fuel, but is preferably the well known self-sustaining fuel of the Kemp system, which employs a mixture of any combustible gas and air in proper proportions to insure combustion and maintenance of flame in an atmosphere void of xygen.

Mounted upon the lower supporting frame of the machine, are slide beds 36, here shown as undercut slideways (see Figures 2 and 5) on which slideways are mounted on each side of the machine the carrier frames 37 having at their forward ends the upwardly extending curved sections 38, on the inside faces of which are mounted lugs 39 which receive and have adjustably mounted therein rods 40, forked at their inner ends, as at 41, to receive the ends of the transversely disposed fabric engaging and controlling bars 42. The number of bars 42 for controlling the fabric and positioning it relative to the roll 24 may, of course, be varied, there being shown in the present instance (see Figure 3) four rods on each side of the roll, three carried by each of the curved sections 38 of the carrier frames and the lowermost bar being mounted adj ustably in similar brackets or lugs 39 on the main part of the carrier frame 37.

The carrier frames 37 are adjustable so as to move the bars 42 toward and away from the singeing roll 24, and this adjustment is preferably, and as here shown, provided by means of gear wheels 43 engaging racks 44 on the underside of carrier frames 37, there being provided a shaft 45 extending across the machine and to which the gear wheels 43 are fixed, this shaft 45 being operated from a worm shaft 46 mounted in the worm wheel box 47, shaft 46 being manually rotated by means of the hand wheel 48. This mechanism is duplicated at each end of the machine, shown in Figure 1, so as to take care of the carrier frames 37 at opposite ends of the machine.

Vith this arrangement, it will be seen that after the bars 22 have been brought to their proper position of adjustment on the carrier frame so as to maintain the fabric passing over the bars in proper relation to the singeing roll 24, the operator can, by manipulating the hand wheels 48 and their interconnected gearing, move the carrier frames 37 and their bars toward and from the singeing roll uniformly, so as to bring the fabric closer to or back it away from the singeingroll as may be desired. I

The machine will be providedwith guiding bars or rolls to direct the fabric through the machine, and past the singeing roll, and, shown in Figure 3, and diagrammatically in Figures 6 to 10, inclusive, there is provided in the embodiment here shown the lower rolls 49 at the bottom of the machine suitablysupported on the basefr-ames; side rolls 50-supported in the arch frames 11 onoppositesides of the machine, and the toprolls 51 mounted at the top of the arch frame 11. These rolls are preferably hollow, as shown in Figure 2, so as to give a very light roll, and their ends are mounted in ball hearings to reduce friction. This is desirable in order that there will be a minimum drag on thefabric as it is threaded through the machine and no retardation of its speed will occur.

As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the fabric is carried over the lower'left hand roll 49, in the direction of the arrow, although, obvious ly, the direction could be reversed, to the two lowermost bars 42 on the carrier frames 37,

where it is brought into singeing proximity,

through the desired length of travel,with the roil 24, and thence outwardly to theside roll 50, from which it returns to the upper control bars 42 on the'left hand side of the machine, and then passes to the upper rolls51 returning by a similar path to the control bars 42 at the opposite sideof'the singeing roll; the side roll 50, the lower control bars, and thence to the-lower roll 49, and passes from the machine to any proper take up roll.

The run of the fabric, as stated, may be va ried or two webs may be simultaneously treated. As diagrammatically shown inFigure 7, two Webs are simultaneously subjected to singeing contacts. Asshown in'Figure-8, the fabric is subjected'to three singeing contacts, one set of control barsbeing omitted from the traverse of the fabric. InFigure 9, the fabric is threaded throughthe machine so as to singe both sides. This is accomplished by threading the fabric coming in from the left over the lower left hand roll, passing it over the control bars, side roll and top roll, in the manner heretofore described, and then passing it to reversing rolls 52 and bringing it-in reverse'direction past the right hand lower roll 49 and over the lower set of bars and, as here shown, over the single set of control bars 42 on the lower right side.

This gives two singeing contacts on one side of the fabric and a single singeing contact on the opposite side.

As shown in'Figure 10, two singeing contacts are secured on both sides of-the fabric by threading the web over the reversing rolls 52 and then passing it over both sets of control bars on the right hand side of the sings ing roll, and thence bythe toproll 51 out. of the machine.

The construction described gives a very flexible machine, in that without changing the construction or readjusting the parts, fabricmay be singed in various ways and subjected to one or more singeing contacts upon oneor both sides thereof, dependent on the work desired. The uniform heating of the singeing roll secured by the present construction, insures uniformity of cloth treatment and danger of imperfectly finished cloth because the unevenly heated singedv surfaces is avoided. The singeing roll is driven at. any desired speed and the cloth will preferably be driven through the machine at relatively high speed, it having been found that a succession of singeing contacts at high speed -is preferable to a contact at lower speed. A succession of high speed contacts with intervening cooling of the cloth by removing it from the singeing zone is less likely to injure the fabric and brings about a better finish than where singeing is attempted with a single contact over a relatively long period.

The cloth will be fed into the machine from any suitable pile or cloth roll, and will be drawn through the machine by any suitable take up roll, but as these are common in the art and form no part of the present invention, it is not necessary to illustrate or describe these well known adjuncts.

lVhile uniformity of heat of the singeing roll is wellinsured by the system of control which I haveprovided, and the uniformity of the fuel which is to be used, in order to guard against passing a safe temperature, I preferably provide a thermostatic device 53 which will be maintained in contact with the surface of the revolving roll 24, and which will lead to any suitable electro-responsive device 54, so that, upon temperature passing beyond the safety point, the operator will be notified or the fuel flow will be controlled. As electro-thermostatic signals and controls which will respond to temperature changes are'well known in the art, it is not necessary to describe in detail such devices.

It has been pointed out that the burners 25 were water-jacketed and connected with the cooling system in order that they would not beinjured by the intense heat generated. As it is desirable that the bearings of the drive rolls, on which the singeing roll 24 is cradled, be so protected that they will not become warped and derange the position of the parts when the machine is once set for operation, I preferably provide, as best shown in Figure 4, a cooling system which will take care of these bearings as well as the water-jacketed burner. The cooling fluid will be delivered by pipe.55,in the arrangement here shown, tothe jacket of one of the bearings 14 of shaft 15, andthence by pipe 57 to the water jacket 30.0f the burner, ipes 58 serving to connect ethe other 'water ackets of the I bearings 40, and then by pipes 59- and 60 the cooling liquid will pass from the bearings and the water jacket.

The internally fired rotary singer of my invention is capable of thorough and uniform singeing, and the singeing; may be varied, as has been pointed out, so as to give contacts of suiiicient area and length of time to produce the desired singe. The temperature of the singeing roll being variably constant, the entire fabric will be treated in substantially the same Way. It will be seen further, that the plurality of contacts for one web in the different combinations possible on one or both sides of the fabric, or the singeing of two webs at the same time, with a plurality of contacts if desired, gives a flexible machine and one in which production is high. The alloy roll can be used throughout substantially its entire length and, as stated, by the system of internal firing used, it is of uniform temperature throughout its entire area. This control of the cloth passing the roll is instantaneous, and the control. mechanism is always readily manipulated by the operator, so that uniformity of treatment is insured.

The internal firing of the singeing roll I regard as of considerable importance. By using the blast nozzles interiorly of the roll, with a self-sustaining fuel, proper flame is always insured, and the necessity of a furnace and its associated parts for maintaining the necessary temperatures, is done away with. Furthermore, by interiorly heating the roll, the outer singeing surface is not subjected to the corrosive action of gases which, no matter how carefully they may be applied, will ultimately result in imperfections in the singeing surface. By water cooling the burners and bearings which are within the heat zone, the operation and life of the apparatus is insured.

Obviously, departures, within the skill of a trained mechanic, may be made from the construction here shown without departing from the spirit of my invention.

1. In a singeing machine, the combination zr-f a supporting frame, a hollow singeing roll having open ends mounted on said frame, means for rotating said roll, heating elements offset from each other and eccentrically disposed with respect to said roll projecting into each end thereof, and means to hold the material to be treated in singeing proximity to said roll.

2. In a singein machine, the combination of a supporting frame, an open-ended hollow singeing roll mounted on said frame, means for rotating said roll, baffle plates at each open end of said roll, a heating element projecting through each of said baffle plates into said roll in offset relation to each other and eccentrically disposed with respect to said roll, and means to hold the material to be treated in singeing proximity to said roll.

3. In a singeing machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a singeing roll mounted on said frame, cradling rollers for suporting said roll, means for driving one at least of said cradling rollers to rotate said roll, means for heating said roll, supporting shafts for said cradling rollers, and water jacketed bearings for said supporting shafts.

l. In a singeing machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a singeing roll mounted on said frame, cradling rollers for supporting said roll, means for driving one at least of said cradling rollers to rotate said roll, means for heating said roll, supporting shafts for said cradling rollers, and a plurality of water jacketed bearings for each of said supporting shafts.

5. In a singeing machine, the combination of a supporting frame comprising a main portion and an upper arch portion, a singeing roll, a plurality of cradling rollers at each end of said roll, a plurality of water jacketed bearings for the shafts of said cradling rollers, means for driving at least one of said cradling rollers to rotate said roll, means for heating said roll, a plurality of independently adjustable material engaging bars on either side of said roll to hold material in singeing position relative to said roll, and fabric guiding rollers to direct the fabric to and from said bars to secure a plurality of singeing contacts.

6. In a singeing machine, the combination of frame members forming spaced apart supporting means, supporting brackets extending outwardly from said frame members, a plurality of shafts supported in hearings on said brackets, cradling rollers carried by said shafts and lying Within said frame members, a singeing roll cradled in said rollers, and means for driving at least one of said cradling rollers to rotate said singeing roll.

7. In a singeing machine, the combination of frame members forming spaced apart supporting means, supporting brackets extending outwardly from said frame members, a plurality of shafts supported in hearings on said brackets, cradling rollers carried by said shafts and lying within said frame members, a singeing roll cradled in said rollers, means for driving at least one of said cradling rollers to rotate said singeing roll, and ballle plates mounted on said frames at each end of said singeing roll.

8. A singeing r ll for singeing machines comprising a hollow open-ended cylimler having a circun'rferential rib adjacent its end to engage supporting and driving rollers.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, cradling rollers one at least of which is longitudinally movable mounted on said frame, bearings for said rollers, a singeing roll cradled in said rollers, and means for driving at least one roller to rotate said singeing roll.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, cradling rollers mounted at opposite sides of said frame one at least of which rollers is longitudinally movable, bearings for said rollers, a singeing roll cradled in said cradling rollers, and means for driving at least one of said rollers to rotate said singeing roll.

1.1. In a. machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a plurality of cradling rollers mounted at opposite sides of said frame the rollers on at least one side being longitudinally movable, a singeing roll cradled in said cradling rollers, and means for driving said rollers on at least one side to rotate said singeing roll.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a plurality of cradling rollers mounted at opposite sides of said frame the rollers on at least one side being longitudinally movable, a singeing roll cradled in said cradling rollers, means to prevent relative longitudinal movement of said roll and cradling rollers, and means for driving said rollers on at least one side to rotate said singeing roll.

18. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a plurality of cradling rollers mounted at opposite sides of said frame the rollers on at least one side being longitudinally movable, a

singeing roll cradled in said cradling rollers,

interengaging means on said roll and rollers to prevent relative longitudinal movement, and means for driving said rollers on at least one side to rotate said singeing roll.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a plurality of cradling rollers mounted at opposite sides of said frame the rollers on at least one side being longitudinally movable, a singeing roll cradled in said cradling rollers, circumferentiallv disposed interengaging means on said roll and rollers to prevent relative longitudinal movement, and means for driving said rollers on at least one side to rotate said singeing roll.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a supporting frame, a plurality of cradling rollers mounted at opposite sides of said frame the rollers on at least one side being longitudinally m'ovable, a singeing roll cradled in said cradling rollers, flanged and grooved interengaging means on said roll and rollers to prevent relative longitudinal movement, and means for driving said rollers on at least one side to rotate said singeing roll.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM WALLACE KEMP. 

